The latest Audi A1 certainly ups its game from a visual perspective, and with its wide grille similar to that of the R8 supercar, the luxurious supermini looks distinctly sporty. The reality is less exciting on the road, because although the A1 handles very competently and rides well, it doesn’t have the sporty responses of its key rival the MINI. It wins back ground when it comes to refinement though, as the A1 is almost as hushed and relaxed to ride in as a Mercedes C-Class.
The interior design looks very upmarket-Audi too, but closer inspection reveals very similar materials used to the much cheaper VW Polo. Engine choice is limited, but performance is satisfactory, and with only a roomy five-door body available it’s practical too.
The latest Audi A1’s design is not particularly radical by the standards of other manufacturers, but its style is pretty funky compared to the German marque’s usual fare. The old model was definitely looking a little dated, but this one is arguably one of the sportiest looking models in the Audi line-up. That’s obviously the look the marque was going for, as the large trapezoidal front grille with matching black air intakes either side, and those three slots under the leading edge of the bonnet, are all style cues lifted directly from the latest Audi R8 supercar.
You need to be a bit more of an Audi-phile to pick up on some of the other design cues. For example the lines pressed into the bonnet and shoulders above the wheelarches are both supposed to evoke images of classic Audi Quattro rally cars. Contrasting paint on the roof and screen pillars of certain models adds to the visual interest too.
The Audi A1 is built at SEAT’s plant in Martorell, Spain, and shares it’s MBQ platform with the VW Polo and SEAT’s own Ibiza Mk 5. But aside from the common engineering, there’s not a lot to place the stablemates in the same family, either outside or in the A1’s impressive cabin.
The digital dashboard design is visually highly appealing, and very high-tech, with Audi’s ‘Virtual Cockpit’ display optional for all model variants. It sits in a wrap-around binnacle with everything slanted towards the driver, and there are shades of the A8 limousine’s cabin style, although you don’t get the twin central touchscreens of Audi’s more luxurious models and have to use ordinary buttons for controlling the climate control.
Sat-nav, stereo and infotainment
The Audi A1 comes with an 8.8-inch infotainment screen, and an audio system with DAB and Audi’s Smartphone system which includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. A technology package upgrades the set-up to a 10.1-inch infotainment screen and the 10.25-inch Virtual Cockpit display in front of the driver.
The Audi A1 is very well resolved car to drive, and it copes well with the rigours of the UK’s desperately tired and potholed tarmac. At least the smaller-wheeled versions ride with a pleasing degree of compliance, but we’d recommend test driving the 18-inch options before you buy.
Some customers are likely to find the additional harshness they introduce to proceedings disappointing, although others will consider it a worthwhile trade-off for the extra style of the bigger wheels. The sports suspension set-up of the 2.0 TFSI is harsher too, to the extent that passengers may find longer journeys a bit of a chore.
Steering is accurate and well weighted, and in standard guise the A1 resists excessive body roll effectively although it isn’t as responsive as the Ford Fiesta or MINI, both of which are more entertaining for the engaged driver. The A1 wins out for refinement though, as it feels as hushed as a premium saloon car two classes up.
The seven-speed S Tronic dual-clutch auto works very smoothly, and is likely to appeal more to most customers than the manual which is ever so slightly notchy in operation. The bigger 2.0 engine comes with an old-school six-speed auto which occasionally feels a little sluggardly on kickdown.
Engines, 0-60 acceleration and top speed
With 114bhp under the bonnet, the launch phase 30 TFSI models can do 0-62mph in 9.5 seconds – although high gearing means it doesn’t feel quite as fast as it might from the driver’s seat. Top speed is 126mph.
The smaller 25 TFSI when it arrives will have 94bhp, and the 1.5-litre 35 TFSI will be 148bhp. The 2.0-litre 40 TFSI has a punchy 197bhp, but we don’t have performance figures yet and the car is let down by the lethargic feel of its auto box. It also comes with a system to play fake engine noises through the audio speakers, in a manner that we find a little unconvincing.
The Audi A1 hasn’t been crash tested by Euro NCAP yet, but as part of the VW group supermini stable, anything less than a top-ranking five-star result would come as a big surprise. For starters it shares its platform with the VW Polo which scores highly in the Euro NCAP tests, and it’s also well equipped with features such as emergency braking and lane-keeping assistance. That said, you don’t get blind-spot monitoring or traffic sign recognition on the A1, which are two technologies that are finding their way down into the small car sector elsewhere.
The VW Group platform and technology sharing should also reassure buyers when it comes to reliability, with an engine line-up shared across the Polo and SEAT Ibiza ranges. Some of the more advanced stuff like the Virtual Cockpit display is perhaps less of a known quantity, but it has appeared widely higher up the Audi line-up.
Build quality appears impeccable too, notwithstanding the fact that some of the interior materials could feel a bit richer. It’s all screwed together impeccably, and the construction seems rock solid.
While it’s not necessarily a signifier of good future performance, the old A1 model performed pretty well in our Driver Power Customer Satisfaction Survey too. A relatively low 7.8 per cent of drivers reported any sort of fault in their first year of A1 ownership.
Warranty
The Audi A1 comes with the standard manufacturer warranty, which means you get three years and 60,000 miles of cover – the same as for a VW Polo. There are extended warranty options available at extra cost, but it’s not a particularly impressive offer. The MINI line-up comes with three years cover but the advantage of unlimited mileage.
Servicing
If you do a relatively low mileage, Audi recommends you use their annual service regime. If you’re going to drive over 10,000 miles a year, then there’s a ‘long life’ service schedule based on monitoring oil quality and sensors to tell you when a service is required. Audi also offers fixed price plans to help you budget for maintenance.
Now the three-door A1 variant has been dropped, and because the new generation is bigger than before, owners of the previous generation will find the latest Audi supermini is a lot more useful.
Five-doors means easy access to the rear for baby seats and the like, and the extra space inside means more adjustment for the driver’s seat so it will be easier for all shapes and sizes to get comfy. Forward visibility is fine too, although rear parking sensors will be a boon for some when reversing, as like many modern hatchbacks the rear view is hardly panoramic.
In other respects, the cabin is typical Audi, with decent glovebox, door pockets and storage in the centre console, plus cup-holders between the seats. Practicality is also enhanced by the application of so much tech. The optional Virtual Cockpit dash in particular offering up navigation info that’s easily assimilated by the driver.
Size
Although its sporty style is eye-catching, the Audi A1 is basically fairly boxy when you look beyond the decorative elements of the design. It’s also bigger than before, and so compares favourably to rivals for interior and boot space. It measures up at 4,029mm long and 1,740mm wide, which is, however, a little shorter than the VW Polo’s 4,053mm length.
Leg room, head room & passenger space
There’s plenty of room in the front seats, while two rear seats passengers are accommodated comfortably, without squashed knees or cricked necks. A third rear passenger will be a squeeze, but the same goes for all cars in the Audi A1’s supermini class.
Boot
Compared to the old A1, there’s been a big boost in luggage capacity – up 65 litres to 335 litres in total. If you fold the rear seats, which don’t quite go flat, but are split 60:40, then total luggage space goes up to 1,090 litres.
We only know the fuel consumption figures for the launch engine so far, but the 114bhp three-pot is suitably parsimonious. Doubtless helped by the tall gearing of the six-speed manual gearbox, you should be able to eke 57.6mpg out of this engine. There are as yet no hybrid or ‘green’ powertrain options, but the efficiency of this launch model remains impressive.
We don’t have figures for the other engines, but we do know the 35 TFSI will have cylinder deactivation to improve its figures. By cutting off fuel to half the cylinders when they’re not under load, you can mimic the efficiency of a smaller engine.
But for now we’ve only got the 30 TFSI, which emits 111g/km of CO2 under the latest test regimes, so anyone using an A1 as a company perk will have to pay a Benefit-in-Kind tax bill of 23 per cent of the invoice cost. There are no diesel models mooted, but a mild-hybrid version is reportedly on the cards in the longer term.
In general terms, the Audi A1 shouldn’t cost any more to run than similarly high-spec supermini rivals, at least when it comes to filling up, insurance and road tax. However, maintenance costs could be a little higher than some, as you’ll be helping to play for all those swishy Audi showrooms.
Insurance groups
The only model you can currently buy, the 35 TFSI, has been awarded a Group 19 insurance rating. You’ll be able to save a bit on the 25 TFSI when it arrives, as that’s only Group 16. When the sportier models arrive the bills go up commensurately with performance, so the 35 TFSI is Group 25 and the 40 TFSI is Group 31.
Depreciation
The last Audi A1 was a star performer when it came to holding on to value, and we expect this one to do well too. Will it match the 56.9 per cent average residual value of the last model when it hits the three-year, 36,000-mile mark? We wouldn’t bet against it, but choosing lurid colours like the Python Yellow might be a bit of a liability in the long run.
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